Make Your Point > Archived Issues > OPPORTUNE

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explore the archives: The mythical Portūnus, god of harbors, provides the source for opportunity, today's opportune, and __portunate, meaning "annoying you by demanding your attention and bothering you, especially by making urgent requests." Why "port" or "habor" figures into opportune is pretty straightforward: opportune winds originally blew toward the harbor, bringing your ships in. Handy! And today, opportune things are convenient or well-timed. Less straightforward is how the god of ports and harbors influenced __portunate. Somehow its meaning morphed from "without a port" to "troublesome and annoying." Do you recall how? Click the link for the explanation. make your point with... "OPPORTUNE" Opportunities are favorable circumstances, and something opportune is favorable: convenient or well-timed. Pronunciation: op er TOON Part of speech: Adjective. (Adjectives are describing words, like "large" or "late." They can be used in two ways: 1. Right before a noun, as in "an opportune thing." 2. After a linking verb, as in "It was opportune.") Other forms: "Opportunely" is the adverb. Taking the idea in a selfish direction are "opportunism," "opportunist," and "opportunistic." The opportunist takes advantages of opportune things (opportunities) in a greedy, self-serving way. How to use it: Often you talk about the opportune time to do something (or the opportune time for something): "it's the opportune moment; let's do this," "we're waiting for an opportune day," "his statement came at just the opportune time." You can also call actions, comments, and places opportune: "The scouts' well-publicized charity project was opportune in securing them a new corporate sponsor." "An opportune comment banished her moodiness." "With its ease of access and top-notch facilities, Orlando was the opportune location for their national convention." examples: It's a country song: the guy tries to woo the girl at the opportune moment--right when she wants to leave the bar--by talking about his gassed-up truck waiting right outside. When I hear it, I laugh and recall Shakespeare's line: "Most opportune to her neede, I haue A Vessell rides fast by." If you have to leave class early, wait for that opportune lull in the lecture to slip out the back door. study it now: Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "opportune" means when you can explain it without saying "perfectly timed" or "happening at a convenient time." try it out: Think of something that happened at an awkward or inconvenient time. Fill in the blanks: "_____ came at an inopportune moment: just as _____." Example: "The phone call I'd been waiting for came at an inopportune moment: just as my hands were full of heavy groceries and a sleeping toddler." before you review: Spend at least 20 seconds occupying your mind with the game below. Then try the review questions. Don’t go straight to the review now—let your working memory empty out first. This month, we're playing "You Know, That Thing!" This game challenges your powers of recall. Start a timer: twenty seconds if you're an adult, longer if you're a kid or an English language learner. Read the description of each thing, and come up with its name. Try to name all three before your timer runs out. (Scroll all the way down for the answers.) Ready? Go! 1. The single nostril belonging to a whale is its… 2. Money you have to pay because you cancelled something is a… 3. The process of bringing people into military service even though they didn't volunteer is called… review today's word: 1. One opposite of OPPORTUNE is A. LATENT B. MALAPROPOS C. NONCOMMITTAL 2. If Maria was the children's governess, why did she make up a story and a song at that opportune moment for teaching: when the child asked _____? A. why thunder was loud and scary B. to be excused from dinner C. for a pink parasol Answers are below. a final word: To be a sponsor and send your own message to readers of this list, please contact Liesl at Liesl@HiloTutor.com. Disclaimer: Word meanings presented here are expressed in plain language and are limited to common, useful applications only. Readers interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words are encouraged to check a dictionary. Likewise, word meanings, usage, and pronunciations are limited to American English; these elements may vary across world Englishes. Answers to review questions: 1. B 2. A Answers to game questions: 1. blowhole 2. cancellation fee, termination fee, or early termination fee 3. conscription, drafting (or "the draft"), or compulsory enlistment